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General Information

On this page, we give you map strategies for E.T.C.. Knowing
what to do on a map and when to do it is extremely important and can
be the deciding factor between losing or winning.

The other pages of our E.T.C. can be accessed
from the table of contents on the right.

About the Author

Oxygen is a veteran of the MOBA genre, which he has been playing for nearly
15 years. He has coached some of Heroes of the Storm's most prominent North
American players and teams alike, including Team Liquid. As a Diamond Flex
player, he enjoys playing all Heroes and roles.

1. Battlefield of Eternity

Battlefield of Eternity

The High Heavens and the Burning Hells clash, quite literally, in a battlefield that represents their everlasting struggle. Two Immortals, ancient warriors locked in a duel to the death, need your help to prevail against their eternal foe. Vanquish the enemy Immortal, and you'll find yourself charging over hallowed or profane ground—right onto the enemy's doorstep.

Engage in Immortal Combat

Two Immortals fight at the center of the map. Help your Immortal prevail, and lay waste to the enemy's Forts.

Employ Eternal Tactics

Protect your Immortal by obliterating the opposing team, or descend upon the enemy Immortal with relentless fury.

Hire Unique Mercenaries

Bolster your forces with Fallen Shaman and cunning Impalers, who will lend their powers to your cause!

Since there is no established strategy in regards to which Hero should occupy
which of the two lanes, you should see to go where your allies are likely to
require protection. In other words, remain around your more vulnerable allies,
as the layout of this map makes it particularly easy to gank.
This remains true throughout all phases of the game; E.T.C. should simply not
be on his own unless it is absolutely necessary to have a player soak
one of the lanes.

The Battlefield of Eternity's map objective is unique in that it requires all
players to contribute to the capture of an essentially PvE objective,
all the while fighting off opponents. E.T.C.'s peeling is vital
to improving your team's survivability as they deal with either Immortal. Be aware
that the defender's advantage is important here, coming in the form of constant
area of effect stuns that can and should be avoided. Your own Immortal's stuns
can be followed up with your respective abilities.
Remember that Rockstar greatly improves your Assassins'
damage output, so try and stay with them.

If you manage to secure an Immortal, push with it; it
will provide you with an unconditional frontline so that
you may freely attack structures. If your opponents instead secure their own
Immortal, your protection will be key to making it relatively safer to
take down the Immortal.

2. Blackheart's Bay

Blackheart's Bay

The ghost pirate Blackheart has staked his claim upon the realm of Mistharbor. His undead pirate crew has poured onto the streets, claiming the once thriving marketplace as their new den of villainy.

You can choose to hold any of the three lanes. If your team does not have other
heroes with good waveclear, you should prioritise going to the bottom one,
which is typically a 1v1. E.T.C. pushes poorly, but can duel over the bottom
Chest and Doubloons relatively well. It should be noted that Rockstar helps
your allies breaking such Chests faster. At level 7, you should start roaming to take down the small Skeleton camps.
They are very easy to do. As E.T.C. is hard to kill, it is even possible for
you to try and steal your opponents' Skeleton camps and make it out alive. You
should assist your allies whenever Bruiser mercenaries are to be taken.
Rockstar also helps down with securing quick structure kills.

Blackheart's Bay's layout makes split pushing difficult. Furthermore, team
fights often erupt in the small area around the turn-in point. This makes
Mosh Pit the Heroic of choice for this map.

3. Cursed Hollow

Cursed Hollow

As one of the first and most ancient realms pulled into the Nexus, the realm of Raven Court has grown large and prosperous over the millennia. The province of Cursed Hollow, a gothic landscape of twisting villages and farmlands, serves as an ideal trial grounds for the Heroes of the Storm.

Collect Tributes

The Raven Lord will periodically create tributes. Gather them for your team!

Curse Your Enemies

Upon capturing three tributes, the Raven Lord will curse your enemies.

Cursed Forts and Minions

Cursed forts will not attack, and cursed minions are reduced to 1 health.

You can chose to hold any of the three lanes or roam, depending on your team
composition. If you are holding a lane on your own, your priority is to soak
experience. If you are with a partner, especially a ranged Assassin,
you may try and setup for kills by flanking from the side areas.
This strategy should also be used if you are roaming. Since E.T.C.'s
waveclear and pushing power are mediocre, you should try to quickly
rotate in order to fight over Tributes as they spawn.

Tribute fights often revolve around poking until either team finds a
proper opening to engage. Your role is to find such an opening. Remain mounted,
and make use of the various bushes ,nooks, and crannies that surround Tribute
spawning points to surprise your opponents.

Rockstar is an essential part of quickly taking down Boss mercenaries, should
your team elect to do so. It is generally wise for you to remain grouped after
level 10, unless Stage Dive was your Heroic choice, though both choices are
legitimate. Tight areas around Tribute spawn points make for easier Mosh Pit
hits, whereas the size of the map makes Stage Dive very strong for
split-pushing. It can also be used, in the late game, to quickly secure
uncontested Tributes or duel a lone player dispatched to contest said Tributes.

4. Dragon Shire

Dragon Shire

These lush and deceptively peaceful gardens have grown over time, covering the once molten realm known as Dragon Spire. Beneath this verdant paradise, the ancient power of the dragons was sealed away... and their descendants have neither forgotten nor forgiven the trespasses of those who wronged them.

Control the Shrines

There are two shrines your team needs to control to activate the Dragon Knight's statue.

Free the Dragon Knight

While activated, bring a hero to the statue to free the Dragon Knight from his prison!

Devastate Enemy Forts

Use the Dragon Knight's immense power to level enemy forts!

E.T.C.'s duty is typically to fight over the top lane Shrine, partly due to his
high sustain, and partly due to Face Melt's reliable way of knocking opponents
off the Shrine area. For E.T.C., Dragon Shire is one of the more passive maps
in the pool; the top lane tends to be hermetic. This can be used at your
advantage, however, by having an ally unexpectedly gank what is usually assumed
to be a 1v1 lane. The lane's length makes your ability to body block
through Powerslide and Face Melt very effective.

If your opponents secure a Dragon Knight, make sure to be around your allies so
that they may benefit from Rockstar's attack speed increase to help take it
down.

The moderate size of the map makes Stage Dive a generally good Heroic ability
choice. It also allows you to contest Shrines or even sneakily steal them when
your opponents are busy elsewhere.

If possible, pilot the Dragon Knight yourself. It fulfills the purpose of a
tank with its Savage Charge ability and large health pool. Furthermore,
Rockstar does
not affect it, giving you one less target to buff.

5. Garden of Terror

Garden of Terror

Once the royal gardens were a splendor to behold. But lately a shadow has fallen over them... Writhing tendrils creep across the grounds at night, and a number of servants have disappeared while walking its twisting paths. Queen Nightshade claims to be unaware of these incidents, but some are beginning to suspect she has gone mad.

Fight the Shamblers

At night, Shamblers will rise from the gardens.

Collect Seeds

Kill the Shamblers and collect seeds for your team.

Control Garden Terror

With 100 seeds, control a garden terror and destroy your enemies!

E.T.C.'s duty is typically to fight over the top lane Seeds, the lane generally
left to be a 1v1. Although E.T.C. is rather slow at taking down the Seed camps,
Face Melt can knock opponents away from Seeds
that are on the floor, allowing you to steal them.

As with mercenaries, Rockstar greatly helps with taking down the larger Seed
Bosses. When fighting over one the Seed Bosses, Face Melt can push your
opponents towards it, causing it to attack them and potentially into the area
of effect stun for a nice advantage.

As your team's main tank, you should pilot the Plant Terror; it
fulfills a similar purpose as you would otherwise, besides being far superior
at sieging.

The map's large size greatly promotes the use of Stage Dive for split
pushing.

6. Infernal Shrines

Infernal Shrines

Demonic corruption threatens the Gardens of Hope. Called forth by the Shrines, Punishers prowl the battlefield, terrifying creatures that live to destroy heroes. Defeat the Shrines' Guardians before your enemies do, and the next Punisher will fight for you; fail, and face the demon's wrath.

Activate the Shrines

The Infernal Shrines periodically gather power. Activate them and prepare for a fight.

Defeat Guardians

Slay 30 Guardians before the enemy team to bring forth a mighty Punisher.

Beware the Punisher

Punishers have one of three devastating powers. Be careful, they focus on attacking heroes above all else.

E.T.C.'s poor waveclearing makes him a poor candidate to occupy
the top lane; as such, you may wish to remain with vulnerable teammates to
protect them. In the early game, your primary goal is to soak your respective
lane for experience until the first Shrine spawn is initiated.

Infernal Shrines' Map Objective is notable for promoting particularly brutal
team fights, as it requires all team members to be present to successfully wrestle
it away from opponents. As such, you should see to quickly clear your lane and
move out to the indicated Shrine spawning point as soon as an announcement is
made. Since this first spawning point is random — as are the subsequent
ones — you will have to check your Minimap for it. During the
confrontations that occur around the Shrines, your main goal will be, as a
Warrior, to prevent your opponents from killing 40 Guardians before your own
team, all while protecting your allies and, if possible, finding windows to
initiate. E.T.C.'s abilities are all particularly well suited for
the task. Mosh Pit is a particularly strong Heroic Ability choice on
this map due to the abundance of cramped spaces for multi-hits.

The Punishers that spawn as a result of either team successfully claiming 40
Guardian kills are devastating to Heroes and Structures alike. Should your team
claim one, you may elect to push with it so as to quickly
take down Structures, or head out to an empty lane to try and generate an experience
lead. It is recommended to split up in the early game (the first two Punisher
spawns) and then remain with it thereafter.

Should your opponents claim a Punisher, your damage will be vital to taking
it down. Be wary of its area of effect attacks, which vary depending on the
Punisher's randomly selected type. Most devastating, however, is the long-ranged
Leap ability, which stuns and heavily damages the first Hero sighted by the Punisher.

7. Sky Temple

Sky Temple

Floating above the vast desert sands of Luxoria, the Sky Temple serves as a center of worship for the snake god, Ka. He stores his great power within the temples, each of them secured by guardians. With such defenses, no warriors would think to seize the god's power for themselves... or would they?

Capture the Temples

Temples will periodically awaken. Stand within their grounds to capture their power!

Hold the Temples

Remain firm and the temple will unleash a blistering onslaught on your enemy's forts!

Defend the Temples

Guardians will try to wrest control of their temples from your team. Hold them off to keep the temple's power for yourselves!

Sky Temple promotes quickly moving between lanes in order to secure the Temple
objective. As such, focus on being in the lanes nearest to the Temple spawn —
middle or top, when the game begins — to protect and assist your teammates as
needed. It should be noted, however, that the bottom lane is typically the one
with the solo hero, and so it may be worth looking to go there for easy ganks.
Holding the Temples themselves is straightforward, and E.T.C.'s sustain allows
him to safely solo them as needed.

The lanes themselves are very short, making them relatively difficult to gank.
Their proximity to mercenary camps also promotes aggressively clearing lanes to
secure these camps without losing out on experience. Some heroes may travel
alone in order to clear them, giving you and your team an opportunity to pick
up easy kills.

Mosh Pit is the recommended Heroic ability choice, though Stage Dive is
still decent to quickly contest Temples. Team fights that inevitably break out
around Temples are in enclosed spaces that make Mosh Pit very strong.

8. Tomb of the Spider Queen

Tomb of the Spider Queen

The long forgotten tombs of Luxoria have found a new master. Deep within their timeworn chambers, the Spider Queen Neithis stirs from her ancient slumber. Present her with the gems of power she seeks, and you may just escape with your lives.

Collect Gems

Enemy spider minions and Heroes drop magical gems upon death. Gather as many as you can!

Turn in Gems

Relinquish your gems at one of the Spider Queen's altars or you will drop them all when you die!

Summon Webweavers

Whichever team turns in enough gems first will unleash the Webweavers to destroy their enemy's defenses.

This map heavily promotes lane skirmishing. Gems, the map's primary objective,
are actually spawned in lane as ranged minions are slain. Attempting to pick
these gems up against ranged heroes can cause you to take damage as they
capitalise on your forward position. This means that, counterintuitively, you
must avoid killing minions — specifically Gem Spiders — far away from your
turrets. This will make it harder for the opposing laner to hit you. Still, if
you are laning with a ranged hero, you should make it your priority to go for
Gems, as the sustain provided by Guitar Solo keeps you healthy.

Gems you collect must be turned in at one of two central points. These points
are surrounded by smoke vents that can hide allied and enemy heroes.
Do not turn in your Gems while
alone, as the associated channeling leaves you in a vulnerable spot.

Upon turning in a growing number of Gems, Webweaver minions will spawn in each
of the map's three lanes. These Webweavers have a fixed duration and spawn as
far as your minion wave has traveled. It is therefore recommended to push as
far as possible in order to make the most out of the Webweavers's duration, as
any time they spend traveling is wasted. Should your opponents get a Webweaver
of their own, Rockstar can help your allies to take them out.

The map's small size and shape make it difficult to split-push with
Stage Dive. Mosh Pit is the Heroic ability of choice.

9. ChangeLog

26 Oct. 2015: Added Infernal Shrines.

20 Jul. 2015: Added Battlefield of Eternity.

13 May 2015: Removed mentions of Scouting Drone, which was removed by May 12 patch.